Creamy Avocado Pasta (Gluten-Free)

This simple, nutritious dish is full of plant-based goodness. Dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free, it ticks all of the free-from boxes, yet is so deliciously indulgent. This, guys, is comfort food at its finest!

As a busy mum, I’m always looking for healthy meals I can whip up in next to no time, and this is one of my favourites – both with me and my toddlers. And when you get the toddler seal of approval, you know you’re on to a winner.

Avocados are one of my favourite culinary staples because they add so much creaminess to dishes. Whether you’re making this pasta sauce, throwing them into chocolate mousses, or using them in raw key lime pies and cake frostings, there are so many amazing ways you can use them!

Happily, avocados are just as nutritious as they are delicious. For starters, they’re full of healthy fats (namely, oleic acid), which are great for the heart and can reduce inflammation. These fats may even help us to absorb other nutrients better!

What else? Well, avocados also contain more potassium (which many studies have linked to lower blood pressure) than bananas, and they’re packed with the anti-oxidant lutein, which boosts the eyes.

If you take one thing from this? Eat more avocados…!

Creamy Avocado Pasta (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients:

Serves 2-4 –

300g Rizopia brown rice spaghetti

1 avocado, pitted and chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 handfuls fresh basil leaves

2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 – 2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp pink salt

½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Black pepper, to taste

100g chopped cherry tomatoes

Method:

Start by cooking your pasta according to pack instructions.

In the meantime, blitz together the avocado sauce ingredients until creamy. Add 2 tbsp of the cooked pasta water to the sauce, then blend once more. Add a touch more of the starchy water or olive oil, if the sauce is too thick.

Drain the pasta, then stir through the avocado sauce and tomatoes. Place it back in the pot and gently heat through. Spoon into bowls and top with black pepper and fresh basil.